How Career Counselling Helps Parents Understand Their Child Better

Children, the miracle of Life.

Some may even call them the manifestation of God-“Bacche bhagwan ka roop hote hai”

Well, if they are so special, then shouldn’t we put more effort into hearing them out? They can teach us as much as we can teach them and even more. If we neglect hearing what our child has to say, then we have failed as parents. A lot of children nowadays are already dealing with issues such as low self-esteem, inferiority complex,  and a dearth of enthusiasm. Imagine what happens to that non-existent confidence when your own parents who are programmed to love you refuse to hear you out? Yeah, I hope you are seeing my point. We are all familiar with the expression, “You reap what you sow”. We barely put any thought into what we are sowing?

I don’t mean to sound scornful towards parents. Parenting is one of the hardest jobs and  almost impossible to do it right. Communicating with your child and observing his/her viewpoint can make your job easier. A lot of the times, a child may feel uncomfortable to put forth ideas in front of his/her parents due to fear of being judged or disappointed parent. It is our responsibility to make sure our child feels comfortable enough to share whatever thought occurs to him, regardless of how senseless it may be.

Let me show you what I mean. Say your child comes to you saying he wants to be a dancer or an athlete or even a detective! And you (politely) let him/her know it is a ridiculous idea. That strong judgement isn’t doing any good to your child’s confidence. And if you do it enough, your child will believe every thought he has is “ridiculous”. And Bam! No more ideas are being shared. Also, the world lost out on a great dancer/athlete/detective.

~enter career counsellor~

Rigidity equals resentment

– It’s no secret that most children can be stubborn. But you know what? I think parents today are not that far behind their stubborn children. The fact that so many parents are rigid about what their child studies is preposterous. By being rigid, you slowly kill their confidence and then the affection they have for you. A career counsellor can help smoothen the friction in such scenarios by helping the child and parent see reason. The first step in garnering respect for one another.

Worry less, live more

– Wouldn’t it be nice to not be worried about or question your child’s career and life choices for once? Hire a career counsellor today! You are still the parent but you now have someone to share the load with. Your child now has an unbiased third party to talk to about the most important decisions in his/her life. Seeking professional help means you can now spend time with your child doing the fun stuff while also being engaged in his/her important decisions.

No secrets

– Keeping secrets from parents is a risky business, for the child. And this behaviour directly results from the attitude of the parents. With a career counsellor in the picture, the trust between you and your child will be stronger than ever. A career counsellor helps understand your child better by encouraging and facilitating healthy communication between you and your child. A career counsellor helps the child believe no idea or thought is futile. And without the fear of rejection, communication is bound to fly high.

Bonding

– The best and quickest way to bond with your child is to support him/her. NOT blind support. But yes, support them whenever reasonable. But sometimes, parents are so fixated with their own viewpoint, they don’t or rather can’t see what their child is trying to show them. And hence, the bond loosens. Once again, your career counsellor can help you maintain support for your child by educating not just your child but also you! Careers are ever changing and evolving, especially in today’s day and age. Parents just can’t be expected to keep track of all the career choices available to their child. Realisation of this fact is the first step in securing a healthy future for your child. So don’t let your child miss out on his/her “perfect dream job”. Contact your local career counsellor today!